Hand-protector.



G. LAKE.

HAND PROTEGTOB. APPLICATION FILED 11.2, 1908. nmuzwnn JULY as, 1011.

Patente 1. Nov. 14, 1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

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' BY M INVEuroR Gollada Lake.

ATI'YIS.

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G. LAKE. HARD PROTECTOR. APPLIOATIOH nun) JALZ, 190s. nmmwnn JULY 2a, 19 1.

Patel .ted Nov. 14, 11.

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' INVENI m- Gouadgy Lam. 5

Br m ufi Atfla UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GOLLADAY LAKE, or CLEVELAND, OHIO.

shun-snowmen.

Specification of Letters mum. Pateni ed Nov. 14, 1911.

Application filed January 2, 1908, Serial No. 409,088. Renewed-Ely 28, 1811 Serial No. 641,176.

the art to which it appertains-to make and use the same.

My invention relates to a protector for the hand adapted to be applied to the handles of traveling bags, grips, Satchels, suit cases, sample cases "and the like,' in which the handles as usually made are comparatively hard and hencework discomfort or even chafin' or callousness to the hand, especially'if t e loadbe heavy or the carrying for a considerable distance. My invention,

therefore, is intended to relieve these pos-.

sible conditions and to provide a device or attachment which is nota handle but a thing supplemental thereto and enveloped thereon, a gri -covering to come between the handle an the hand which will cushion the handle and soften and make it comfortable to the hand. a I

As such the invention consists in the device substantially as shown and described and particularly pointed out in the claims. In theaccompanyin drawings, several difierent forms of the evice are shown but all are different developments of the same inventionf Thus, Figure 1 is a erspective view of a satchel having a handl with ,one form of my cushioning attachment. secured thereon, and-of which Fig. 2

- is. an enlarged view partly in section. Fig. a cross section of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a plan view of the device shown as laced upon a handle. Figs. 5 to 10 inclusive show three several modifications of the, invention.

Figs. 5, 7 and 9 being side elevations except I e as usual rovide an atcle adapted to be taktn on after use and kept conveniently at h ind for further and other uses upon handle 5 as they may come. These devices are esse itially hand protectors. That is the; are intended to afiord a soft and cushioning g1 ip for the hand on handles which otheri'lse are hard and harsh, thereby enabling a person with a delicate hand to car! a heavyload without hurting or injuring the hand by reason of the hardness of the handle. as such. To these ends the proiector or attachment A, shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, is fashioned on a more or. less cur'ed patternbetween its ends to conform to the usual shape or outline of a handle, H, but it may have any other shape and in s01 1e cases might even be straight, and the boc y is made of rubber cured just enough to get the consistency wanted but which stf ll is more "or less spongy or's ringy to tl e grip, and the said body or rub r portion LS deepest at the bottom (1 where theweigh'l is sustained in carrying and it is graduall 7 reduced or thinned from the bottom upwai d at the sides to the separate edges thereof along the top, thus avoiding undue enlarge nent of the grip for the hand and putting the attachment into the most acceptable for n for use.

In the particular construction shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, there is supposed to be elasticity'or spring eno'l h in the rubber to keep the attachment 0 osed or approximately closed atits top edge or to hold'it on a handle, but in this instance the sides thereof are tervals and acing 3 frr fixing the attachment upon the handle. The useof .the eyelets renders it necessary to employ a lining 4, or its equivalent, tr secure the eyelets, and any other suflicient means than the lining may be adopted f r this purpose. In this connection it is in be especially observed that one of the :ssential and distinguishing characteristic: of this handle attachment is its tubular internal form, having substantially the sime size .and shape of bore or inside cross sectional area from end to end and being designed to supplement and engage .over handles which are complete in themselves as sucha'nd as they are found in use. I do not, therefore, claim to have invented a handle but a handle gri pin device or attachment distinctly hcs1 e to go over a h andle to protect the rovided v ith eyelets 2 at in.

Now, passing to the forms of the device ,on Sheet 2 of the drawings, Figs. 5 and 6' illustrate .a modification of the invention only in this particular, that the rubber gripping portionA is secured or fixed on a sprm steel tube B, which has perforations or ho es 4 scattered over its surface in which the rubber is engaged, and the free to edges of the rubber meet or overlap as this construction is shown when otf the handle. The springy' character of said tube or lining B makes an efl'ectual clamp for the attachment when engaged upon a handle, and

no other means of aifixing it in place are needed. 7

A further modification of the device appears in Figs. 7 and 8. Herein we have a rubber body A, and also a modification of I or clamping means consisting the gripping of two longitudinal quarters of a complete tube indicated by Crespectively and overlapped at their top and bent inwardly along their lower edges at 5 into substantially hook shape in cross section with the thin edges of the rubber secured within said hook edges. The natural tendency of these sides thus constructed also is to close and clamp upgin handle H when placed thereon,

and the aid side plates 0 extend the full length of the attachment, as seen in F ig. 7. Figs. 9 and 10, the rubber body A corresponds to the other forms of the device in all material respects except that it is trough shape or semicircular in cross section in its inner portion where it engages on a handle and has a ring shaped clamp or band D fixed on each end and adapted to secure theattachnient upon a handle; In

' this instance a lip 6 on oneend of the band projects through a hole 7 in the other end and is bent at right angles to make locking engagement of said parts,'temporarily at least. i V

The rubber in any of these cases may be molded or otherwise formed to the desired .shape and any one of the ways ofsecuring or holding the device on a handle shown herein or equivalent thereto may be adopted, whether by clamping; lacing,

strapping, adhering, or other practical anddesirable way. A

In Figs. 2 and 5 the under side of the grip is transversely ribbed to conform to the lay of the fingers therein, but in the othe1 views the construction is plain. In all cases however the under side or portion of the device h'as the cushioning or yielding characrather than of a permanent fixture.

teristic which softens the grip to the hand,

the sides and top. Hence, lacing, or clamps or special springs, gluing or something of that sort is required to hold the device on the handle. 7

What I claim is 1 1. As a new article. of manufacture and sale, a hand protecting device adapted to be separably engaged over the handles of travehng bags, suit-cases, and the like, the same ,consistin of flexible rubber of substantially tubular orm open lengthwise from end to end at its top and having a cushioned grip; ping portion its entire length along its bottom and sides deepest at its 'middle and tapering transversely on both sides to the edges along its top, and means on the ends thereof to engage said'device on a handle.

2. A gripping device adapted to be removably' engaged over the bottom and sides of handles of suit-cases and vthe like to soften the grip, the same constructedwith-a soft gripping portion lengthwise from end to end deepest at its bottom and tapered transversely at its sides to thin separate edges and conforming to the, shape and size of such handles throughout its length, andsaid soft under (gripping portion transversely corrugate and thereby formin trough shaped spaces for the fingers of the han 3. A handle having a yielding member provided with grooves on the under side transversely thereof and attached to the under side of said handle.

4. A curved handle having a member provided with'grooves for the fingers on the under side transversely thereof and attached to the under side of said'handle.

In testimony whereof I sign this specification in the presence of two witnesses.

GOLLADAY LAKE. Witnesses:

E. M. FISHER, R. B. MOSER. 

